Scars
by Izaya-Aki
Summary: At times like this, she hates herself for not knowing what to do. She's not use to comforting others: that's Ayano's- no, Seto's specialty. However, Seto isn't here right now and she is...
1. Chapter 1

It's a usual afternoon for the danchou of the Mekakushidan. She's at their base with Kano waiting for Seto and Mary to return from work. While she waits, Kido starts preparing for dinner. She debates asking Kano to set the table but quickly dismisses it.

_I don't want to deal with his antics just yet..._

With her hair pulled into a pony tail, she rinses some vegetables but when she goes to retrieve her knife she can't find it. On closer inspection, her cutting board is also missing.

_Did someone move them? _

Before she can began looking for it, the kitchen lights start to flicker and a cold chill runs down her spine. Kido leaves the kitchen just a bit too quickly to be casual. The living room is dark and the TV is showing static.

"Oi, Kano, you better stop it."

She wants this to be a joke, but only silence meets her. He hands and voice tremble as she calls out to him again:

"K-Kano, I'm serious! S-stop it right now or I'll..."

The clanking of metal hits her ears and as she looks around it gets louder and louder until-

"**BOO!**"

Kido screams with tears in her eyes as she shakes until the lights are turned back on and she can hear the familiar laughter of her companion. Kano is standing right infront of her with the missing board and knife in hand. She watches as he puts the missing equipment back before returning.

"S-Sorry! Hahaha...I just can't help teasing you...haha! You're really cu-"

_Ah.._

_So it was a joke..._

_A joke..._

_A joke?_

Her fist has never hit Kano so fast before. Her fist hits his stomach and he falls back...into the table behind him. The table wobbles against the wall its pressed against and the vase sitting on top of it titters off the side.

The vase, made of glass, shatters on the floor while the water splashes Kano. The flowers, Mary's flowers, the vase once held are scattered on the floor beside him.

Kido looks at the scene with guilt. She hadn't meant to hit him that hard but whats done is done right? She'll apologize first and then help clean everything up-

Then it dawns her that Kano hasn't said a word since she punched him.

"Kano?"

At the call of his name, Kano flies under the table faster than Kido can blink. Seeing his reaction, she curses mentally. The eyes that meet her gaze are not of her mischievous brother's but of a frightened child. And not just any frightened child but of a red eyed, Shuuya Kano, from Seto, Kano, Kido's childhood.

Seto warned her about this especially since Kano angered her more times than not.

They only lose control of their powers when their emotions take over. And Kido realizes that Kano is probably reliving something no one should have to go through and it was all caused by an accident.

"I didn't...I'm not-"

_I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm not like your mother...?_

Kido bites her lip as she stares back at the huddling figure under the table. She's fumbling for the right words, but she can't find them.

At times like this, she hates herself for not knowing what to do.

She's not use to comforting others: that's Ayano's- no, Seto's specialty.

However, Seto isn't here right now but she is. So she knows she has to calm down before

she looses control of her power as well. 

_Disappearing __isn'__t going to help__, now is it?_


	2. Chapter 2

She was warned multiple times; to be careful, to not shout at Kano at first (by the orphanage people). Then by their adoptive mother who always worried about them: inside and out. Ayaka had (of course) read about their backgrounds before adopting them. She knew that Kido hated the smell of burning wood and feared large fires. That Seto could not swim and disliked large bodies of water.

_And that Kano's mother had shown quite a twisted since of motherly love to him._

Kido felt as if an hour had passed in silence; her, staring in frustration; him, still trembling under the table. It will be "too late" by the time Mary and Seto return. Because, while several of his physical scars have healed, her brother has many mental scars that he usually hides with a devious smile. Today is not one of those days.

_Why now? Why when Ayano is gone and Seto's unavailable? I . . ._

"I'm sorry."

The words slip from her lips with more anger then she hopes. Anger at herself and at the situation. She has crouched down to Kano-Shuuya's level, but is hesitant to lessen the space between them. Shuuya looks to her with his much brighter, because of tears, eyes. And he utters a response . . .

"It's okay-_**Don't be angry**_- I'll c-clean it up."

. . .That Kido does not want to hear. _**This**_ is what she means by "too late." Because it's easier to get someone's attention when they actually see you, not some horrible memory/mother that's come-back-to-life. So Kido, literally, scrambles to pick up the glass shards with the apron she forgot to take off before Shuuya can get anywhere near them.

_I need to make him understand._

It's a thought that is blaring in her mind. But how? She's never been good with words or comfort. Kido has been a major in tough love all of her life. And Kano knows that or knew that-

_Ah, so that's it. It's the vase- or the glass. _

When Kido throws the glass away, the prospect comes to her. It's specifically when she watches the shattered painted chips of the use-to-be vase enter the trash can that everything clicks. Kids break things all of the time, on accident. And while other mothers would have been upset- Kano's mother would have been livid. Cynically, Kido is glad her mother was not apart of her childhood, but only for a moment.

Helping Kano is more important.

"Shuuya."

Red eyes look up to her. He's stopped trembling, however, his face has grown paler. Seeing the fear in his entirety, Kido almost stops- but she refuses to take a step back. She doesn't feel helpless anymore, just a tad nervous.

"It's alright, you can come out. I'm not angry."

She moves closer to him as she talks. And when he eventually comes out from under the table she's on her knees with her hands stretched out; beckoning him. An unspoken "come here." is displayed in her pose. His walk to her is anything but natural. Shuuya- Kano looks so small and stiff that it reminds her of how Seto was when he couldn't control his powers.

"It's not your fault. M-mommy loves you, Shuuya."

And as silly as her words sound, that's when she hugs him. She holds him close, squeezing him just enough not to suffocate him; it works. Kido doesn't let go even when she feels Kano's arms around her waist (he's on his knees as well now). His eyes have returned to their normal, beautiful, yellow color and Kido wonders how she missed it so much in such a short time.

"And what about you?"

It feels like she's the one in a daze. Unknowingly, there are tears in her eyes. The implications of his question come to her a minute later. When they do, her cheeks burn and she stutters.

"S-shut up, idiot!"

Kano's laugh is watery and his voice is light and soft.

_It worked. He's back._

She's glad.


End file.
